I saw the owl today. I waited patiently and quietly at the spot where I had been shown recently. This is the spot in the center of Tryon Creek State Park where the owl had been seen a few weeks ago. After ten minutes I wondered if this time would be a bust...again. A winter wren squawked angrily at me. I must have been near a nest, or maybe just too close. Winter wrens are really small but have big attitude. I walked past the sound of the wren and it got quiet. The forest was completely quiet. I stood and listened intently for anything. The wren squawked again, just as angrily as before, and a moment after that the owl called out! A rush of excitement raced through me. I walked back to where I had been originally, to where the sound of the owl calling came from. I looked to my right and there it was...LOOKING RIGHT AT ME! Wo-ow! I took a good look with my binoculars. What a beautiful barred owl, neato! I took a few photos before it flew to another tree and was obscured by the thick forest foliage. Here's my picture of "OWL".
